15 iPad Apps You Should Download Today

The iPad’s got a big screen, zippy performance and a decent web browser — but its real potential lies in the thousands of apps — more than 3,000 already — that use that hardware in new and interesting ways.

But as significant of an advancement as the iPad may be compared to its smaller predecessors, one major problem remains: The App Store is still a cluttered mess, and iPad apps only add to the pile.

Furthermore, iPad apps are generally more expensive than iPhone or iPod Touch apps. A few downloads could quickly drive your iTunes bill to the triple-digit range.

Just which iPad apps are worth the splurge? After scouting the store and obsessively testing apps for days, we’ve dug up 15 gems that we believe are the best among the early birds, based on criteria of innovation, fun factor, value and quality interface design. We’ve split them up into three categories: productivity, media and games.

Productivity Apps

Things

A snazzy to-do list to organize your errands, work projects and house chores, Things is to apps what a five-star restaurant is to eating. The app sports a gorgeous interface that makes the act of checkmarking a completed task truly gratifying. You can add current and future errands to the standard to-do list, and a Projects category helps you brainstorm your long-term work. The most impressive part about Things is the ability to sync all your to-do list items to the Things apps for Mac and iPhone. All three apps combined cost $80, so the Things suite ain’t cheap, but incessantly busy types will appreciate the elegant experience of these apps. The Things iPad app alone costs $20 (download link).

iStudiez Pro

Some universities believe the iPad can play a role in education, and iStudiez Pro illustrates one way student life can improve with the help of new technology. The iStudiez Pro app is an interactive planner tailored to students, enabling them to keep track of lecture hours, assignment deadlines, exam dates and more. If you’ve already graduated from college, this app will make you wish you were a student again. iStudiez Pro costs $3 (download link).

Kayak Flights

Booking flights online has always been a pain in the butt using clunky airline websites, but the Kayak Flights app miraculously makes the experience pleasant. The app features an easily navigable calendar and plenty of customization options to find the right flight. It can even use the iPad’s location sensors to automatically find the nearest airport. Within seconds, you’ll be able to perform a quick search for the cheapest fares for your trip. The best part is, the app is free (download link).

Twitteriffic

The first Twitter app for iPhone, Twitteriffic was eventually superseded by the more-popular app Tweetie. Once again, Twitterific is among the first Twitter apps for the iPad — but this time around, Twitterific will be hard to top. The app is snappy, and its interface does a fine job at divvying up your timeline, @ replies, direct messages and favorites. It’s a free download in the App Store (download link).

Evernote

Evernote, a popular note-taking service that stores your notes in the cloud so you can access them anywhere, has done it again. Its iPad app displays your notes as nice, big, easily tappable thumbnails. Typing and saving a new note can be done in a snap. And viewing saved notes on the iPad’s big screen makes them much more usable and legible than they are on an iPhone or iPod Touch. We’ve always loved Evernote’s web interface and desktop app, but the iPad version really nails it. Evernote is a free download in the App Store (download link).

Sketchbook Pro

Sketchbook Pro is a drop-dead–beautiful app for digital artists. The app jams a rich feature set, including 75 brush sizes, a layer editor and a symmetrical drawing tool, into a surprisingly intuitive interface. We’ll say no more: Just watch the video above, and be wowed (download link).

Air Sharing

There’s no native method to print from the iPad just yet, but Air Sharing offers a workaround. The app wirelessly mounts your iPad as a drive on your computer, and you can load it up with files and even use the app to print over the air to a wireless printer. Air Sharing costs $10 (download link).

Media Apps

Marvel

We can’t stop raving about the Marvel app, and that’s because it’s just so damn good. It makes comics look even better than they did on cheap, easy-to-soil comic book paper, and the best part is the ability to zoom in to view individual panels one at a time, as if watching an interactive storyboard for a movie. The free app charges $2 per comic download, though there are some free comic books as well (download link). The downsides: You can’t swap comic books with your friends, and you can’t brag about how valuable your collection of mint-condition, plastic-wrapped comics will be some day.

News Rack

News Rack is a fine choice for media addicts who crave a snappy RSS reader. The app can sync with your RSS feeds in Google Reader, and bubbles pop up immediately when your feeds refresh. It’s a straight-to-the-point app to get your media fix (download link). It costs $5.

National Public Radio

NPR is one of the most popular media outlets in America, and now it’s available in a slick, elegant app for the iPad. Arguably, the NPR app is even better than the NPR.com website. Tap an article, and you can listen to an audio clip or view photos complementing it. A “Share” tab enables you to share an article by Twitter, Facebook or e-mail. It’s a free app in the App Store (download link). If you’re a liberal media snob, this app’s the perfect accoutrement to your Prius-driving, cappuccino-sipped, public-radio–listening lifestyle.

Games

Real Racing HD

If you want to play a game that makes good use of the iPad’s accelerometer, look no further than Real Racing HD. The entire iPad becomes the steering wheel; the simple controls (all you can do is steer) make this a game adults and children can equally enjoy. The game’s visuals are stunning, and what’s more, you have the option to apply your own photos onto your digital car to give it a nice, personal touch. The game is $10 (download link).

Fieldrunners

Fieldrunners is an addictive, tower-defense strategy game that will provide you with endless hours of fun. The polished, 2-D visuals will make you feel nostalgic about the good ol’ days of visually unpretentious gaming. The game costs $5 (download link).

Flight Control HD

Twirl your fingers to land as many aircraft as you can while carefully avoiding collision. The premise is as simple as that, and yet Flight Control HD is a brilliant hit, and the big screen makes it significantly more interesting — and challenging — than the iPhone version. We love it. It’s $5 in the App Store (download link).